Is It Ethical For The DKI DPRD To Ask For An Increase In Allowances During The COVID-19 Pandemic?

DKI Jakarta DPRD Building (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The increase in the annual work plan (RKT) of the DKI DPRD in 2020 is being questioned. Initially, the preparation of this budget increase went cool without any rejection from all factions. Until finally, one faction, namely PSI, expressed its opposition at the end.

Member of the PSI DPRD DKI Jakarta Fraction, August Hamonangan, explained his reason for participating in the meeting to discuss the special committee on the increase in the annual work plan budget (RKT) of the DKI DPRD.

During the RKT discussion, the PSI faction in the DPRD did not show any rejection because it still submitted the results of the discussion meeting to the DPW and DPP parties.

Until finally, PSI suddenly conveyed the rejection of the RKT increase in the general view of the factions at the plenary session of the General Budget Policy and Temporary Budget Ceiling Priority (KUA-PPAS).

"Until there is a general view at the plenary session, we say we reject, disagree with the increase in DPRD revenue in the RKT," said August on Thursday, December 3.

This rejection was regretted by the head of the Special Committee for RKT DPRD DKI, Mohamad Taufik. In every special committee meeting and joint leadership meeting (gapimgab) related to the 2021 RKT, representatives of the Jakarta DPRD PSI faction who are members of the special committee agreed to all discussions.

"PSI agreed and signed it in the joint leadership meeting (rapimgab) of the DKI DPRD RKT. But, really, they even spoke oddly about rejecting it outside. Don't be like that, it has to be fair. This is the name, damaging the institution," said Taufik.

However, this is not a question of who ultimately accepts and rejects the DPRD RKT increase. According to a public policy observer from Trisakti University, from the start there should not have been a discussion regarding the RKT increase.

It should be understood that currently the COVID-19 pandemic is still hitting. Trubus said, the government still needs a large budget to handle it.

"This should not be done by the DKI DPRD. For now, please understand the sense of crisis. The pandemic situation should be the main consideration in the preparation of the RKT. So it is unethical that the DPRD asks for an increase in allowances and the like," said Trubus to VOI.

Trubus viewed that if there was currently no pandemic, it would be natural for the DKI DPRD to propose an increase in the RKT. This is because the nominal RKT has not increased since 2017.

However, because currently the pandemic has not ended, Trubus considered that the increase in the budget would be better focused on handling the government's COVID-19. The main thing is the application of 3T, namely testing, tracing, and treatment.

"Second, focus on improving social safety nets such as social assistance. There are still many people affected, they still need a safety net. Third, how to revive economic recovery, which is related to people's purchasing power and economic activity," he explained.

The amount of the 2021 RKT

Based on the detailed data obtained by VOI, there are three types of budgets in the 2021 RKT. There is direct income in the form of salaries and allowances, indirect income, as well as socialization and recess costs for each person.

Direct income

Representation fee Rp2,250,000 Package fee Rp 225,000 Family allowance Rp315,000 Position allowance Rp3,262,500 Rice allowance Rp240,000 Commission allowance Rp326,250 Body allowance Rp130,500 Housing allowance Rp110,000,000 Communication allowance Rp 21,500,000 Transportation allowance Rp35,000,000 Total Rp. 173,249,250 per month or Rp2,078,991,000 per year

Indirect income (1)

Visit within the province Rp. 14,000,000 Visit outside the province Rp. 80,000,000 Commission field visit Rp. 14,000,000 Work meeting with executives Rp. 6,000,000 Social and local government allowance Rp. 16,800,000 National tax allowance Rp. 4,200,000 National social allowance Rp. 8,400,000 Total Rp. 143,400,000 per month or Rp1,720,800,000 per year

Indirect income (2)

Sekwan Bimtek (outside the region) IDR 60,000,000 Fraction technical guidance (outside the region) IDR 60,000,000 Recess allowance 144,000,000 Total IDR 264,000,000 per year

Outreach and recess activities

Socialization of draft perda IDR 40,000,000 per month Socialization of IDR 160,000,000 per month Nationalization socialization IDR 80,000,000 per month Recess: IDR 960,000,000 per year

Total IDR 4,320,000,000 in one year.

Chairman of Commission A from the DKI DPRD Democratic Faction, Mujiyono explained that not all of these budget increases will go into the private pockets of DPRD members. He said the increase in direct income was only in housing allowances and transportation allowances.

"What increases is only housing and transport allowances and that is in accordance with the rules. Other allowances do not increase. The rest is another budget for activities for the community," said Mujiyono.

He said the proposed housing allowance would increase from Rp. 60 million to Rp. 105 million per month for each council member. Meanwhile, transportation allowances increased from Rp. 21 million to Rp. 35 million.

"The total increase in allowances is Rp. 59 million, deducted by income tax, multiplied by 90 percent, it becomes Rp. 53 million," said Mujiyono.

Thus, the total direct income received by each member of the DKI DPRD per month is IDR 173,249,250 or IDR 2,078,991,000 per year. If this is multiplied by 106 members of the DKI DPRD, the total direct income for all members of the DKI DPRD in a year is Rp 220,373,046,000.

In total, the RKT for each DPRD member reaches Rp. 8,383,791,000. This budget is direct income in the form of salaries and allowances, indirect income, as well as socialization and recess costs. So, if this is multiplied by 106 members of the DPRD DKI from all factions, it takes a budget of Rp. 888,681,846,000 in one year.

Mujiyono admitted that the budget ceiling that made the RKT appear to have increased was the DPRD's annual activity budget to serve and absorb people's aspirations. This budget is not received directly by DPRD members, but resides at the DPRD DKI Secretariat. Unfortunately, Mujiyono did not explain in detail how much the nominal increase had been due to this activity.